1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to submersible pump supports or "sleds," as they are known to those skilled in the art, that are submerged in a fluid, which fluid is typically water. More particularly, the present invention relates to a submersible pump support constructed out of a lighter than water material that becomes heavier than water upon the installation of a pump therein, thus reducing the weight of the pump support to enhance installation and retrieval of the pump support from a body of fluid.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Until recently, only two basic types of pump supports were available. The first, a floating pump support, being more buoyant than a fluid, is designed to allow a pump to float on the surface of a body of fluid to be pumped.
The second type is a submersible pump support having a submersible pump installed therein that is typically submerged in a body of water such as a lake, pond, stream, or river for general purpose irrigation or water supply.
This second type of pump support is a heavier than water type sled, usually constructed of steel, that is designed to remain on the bottom of a body of water by virtue of its heavy weight. Although this type of pump support performs this function well, the heavy weight of the pump support typically requires heavy equipment for installation. Additionally, the weight of the pump support makes it difficult to easily retrieve the pump support and pump from the bottom of a body of water because the heavy pump support tends to sink into the mud or debris at the bottom of a body water.
There has recently become available a submersible pump support constructed out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This pump support is lighter than water and floats when no pump has been installed therein. However, when a pump assembly is installed in the pump support, it becomes heavier than water and sinks to the bottom of the body of water. Since the pump support is lighter than water, during removal of the pump support from a body of water, effectively it is only the weight of the pump really needs to be moved, since the pump support itself is lighter than water. This greatly eases installation and removal of the submersible pump support.
Although that pump support provides several advantages, it does have several drawbacks. First, due to the fact that it is constructed out of a lighter than water material, it has a tendency to tip over due to the torque generated when the pump assembly is turned on. In addition, the location and size of the intake port may not, under operating conditions where the water of a high enough temperature, for example, higher than approximately 70.degree. F., provide a sufficient volume of water over the pump assembly to provide adequate cooling of the pump assembly.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a lighter than water submersible pump support that is stable and does not tip over during operation of the pump.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighter than water submersible pump support having an intake screen sized and located in the pump support to provide adequate fluid flow over a pump assembly installed in the pump housing.